


Now I'm

by JessJesstheBest



Category: In Other Lands - Sarah Rees Brennan, In Other Lands | The Turn of the Story - Sarah Rees Brennan, The Turn of the Story - Sarah Rees Brennan
Genre: And it's so new!, Elliot plays guitar, Established Relationship, Fluff, I don't even know what the established tag for this fandom are!, I'm so new!, M/M, Post-Canon, There's almost nothing here!, Write the fanfic you wish to see in the world I guess, because of course it is, minstrel Elliot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-03-01 13:43:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13296093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JessJesstheBest/pseuds/JessJesstheBest
Summary: Elliot had meant it when he’d left his old world behind. When he’d spray painted his name on his childhood home and turned his back on the boring, human world he’d been raised in. He was completely committed to the Borderlands: the land of elven best friends and harpy boyfriends and war and treaties and making friends with mermaids.This land was his home.He didn’t regret it: there was nothing left for him in the Otherlands..... he just needed a couple things.Or Elliot makes a trip to the Otherlands and brings a surprise back for Luke's birthday.Well... a couple surprises.





	Now I'm

**Author's Note:**

> New fandom, new rules. Hopefully I'll learn fast.

Elliot had meant it when he’d left his old world behind. When he’d spray painted his name on his childhood home and turned his back on the boring, human world he’d been raised in. He was completely committed to the Borderlands: the land of elven best friends and harpy boyfriends and war and treaties and making friends with mermaids.

This land was his home.

He didn’t regret it: there was nothing left for him in the Otherlands.

.... he just needed a couple things.

“It’s not like I need your permission, loser,” he’d told Luke, dressing himself in his hoodie and jeans. His (normal) clothes weren’t contraband anymore, now that he wasn’t at the Border Camp, but he still didn’t wear them very often. Partly because people took him more seriously as a counselor if he was wearing the traditional clothes, and partly because Luke tended to sputter and blush a lot when he put on his jeans.

So he still wore them, but not usually in mixed company.

Luke leaned against the doorframe, wings blocking the entire entryway. His arms were crossed and his eyes averted. Elliot smirked at his blush. “I know you don’t. I just don’t like the idea of you going alone.”

Elliot rolled his eyes, shoving his feet into his only pair of Chuck Taylor’s. “You act like I didn’t live thirteen years of my life unaccompanied by sword-bedecked harpy men. And look at me! I’m fine!”

“And yet, I still don’t doubt you’ll find trouble somehow.”

“Well it’s not like you can come with me.”

Elliot bit his cheek, guiltily, feeling bad about the instant drop of Luke’s wings and shoulders. He wasn’t wrong – Luke couldn’t come with him over the border – but reminding Luke that there was something he couldn’t do to protect Elliot was a good way to have a sulking pile of feathers on your hands.

Elliot drifted over to him, hand sliding over his wings and cupping his jaw. “Luke, I’ll be fine. And it’s just a couple of errands. It’s not like I’m going off to murder people in the face while they try to also murder me in my face. No one has a stick with a pointy end where I’m going.”

That wasn’t strictly true but he was looking for comforting rather than informational. It was new for him but he didn’t have time for a lecture.

Luke leaned in to Elliot’s hand, his eyes that same mixture of exasperated and fond as they’d been pretty much since they’d been 13. “I could give you a stick with a pointy end, if you want. Then someone will have one.”

“Try it and I can’t promise where the pointy stick will end up.” Luke laughed and Elliot gave him a playful pat on the cheek. “Now help me tie my shoes: your knots are better than mine.”

 

Emerging on the other side of the portal at the top of the wall was about as pleasant as he’d expected.

Which was to say: an absolute nightmare of smog and humidity.

He groaned out loud, already becoming moist with sweat after the relatively cool cleanness of the Borderlands air. Summer in England had never been _fun_ – the thunderstorms and weak sunlight always making you feel like you were in a fishbowl that had been set too close to a window. But after living in a world not suffering the effect of climate change for so long, coming back to one with a depleted ozone and ultraviolet rays aiming to cook you was not pleasant at _all_.

If Elliot had one regret about choosing the Borderlands, it was that he would never use his genius to save the humans on this side from themselves. He could have found a way to stop climate change or come up with a plan for humans to make a better world for themselves with all of their technology and general distaste for war. Maybe.

Well, probably not. But if Elliot could convince mermaids to stop drowning men for sport – like an actual sport with a point system and a championship and everything – then he felt optimistic about his chances.

Not that his chances mattered. He’s made his choice. This was just a day trip.

After years of having to fend for himself in finding a ride back to civilization on this side of the border, Commander Woodsinger had told him the secret to getting a cab: there was a secret cell phone hidden on the wall. That was it. Just inside the staircase was a phone. Elliot felt so betrayed at only having been told this after he’d stopped having to come back to the otherlands regularly. Though he wasn’t unhappy to have the information now.

Getting a cab wasn’t the hard part. Nor was getting into town.

No, the hard part, was going to be getting in and out of Joe’s music store without Joe or Jase seeing him. Which was crazy since Joe and Jase were the only people that worked there.

It was true, Elliot had other reasons for coming to the Otherlands. Elliot wanted more practical stationary, his camera had run out of film, and, honestly, he was dying for some actual silicone-based lube. He’d gone through a lot to get some of whatever the borderlands-equivalent was (a traumatizing conversation with Gregory Sunborn he would really rather forget) but hard-won as it was, it just was not as good as factory made. Elliot had needs.

But beyond all that: Luke’s birthday was coming up. And Rachel had said he could be a minstrel…

He made his other purchases (the store clerk was clearly disturbed at the quantity of lube he’d paid for but was trying not to show it) and now the music store was the only thing left. He needed a guitar.

He’d thought it over (duh) and came to the conclusion that if he had to see anyone, Joe was the better option. Sure, Joe was crotchety and homophobic, but now that Elliot wasn’t actively dating his nephew, Joe could probably convince himself that Elliot was a good kid who had just been confused and probably had a nice girlfriend somewhere. As offensive as Elliot found this line of thinking: it suited his needs. So he was going to lean into it.

He lurked outside the windows, peering through the record displays visible in the failing light. The familiar form of Joe, gray and pleasantly grumpy, was hunched behind the counter. He seemed to be doing some paperwork: probably looking over the sales numbers from the past two years and wondering why their sales had always been best when that plucky red-headed kid had been hanging around the store. His charisma and magnetism was really good for business and, wow, Joe really should have been kinder to him.

With that cheerful thought, Elliot pushed the door open to meet his fate.

At the chime of the door, Joe grunted and started with a “hello and welcome” before even looking up.

When he did, his smile dropped to a sneer and he turned his welcome into a grumbled “You.”

Elliot batted his eyes, not completely managing to keep up the sheepish ruse he’d planned on. “Hi, Joe.”

He sighed, looking Elliot up and down. “What do you want?”

Elliot bit his cheek, disappointed. He hadn’t been expecting a complete return to their pre-Jase relationship, but a “How’ve you been?” Or a “Isn’t my nephew a right twat?” wouldn’t have been amiss.

But, alright, Elliot was a practical young man. He could stay on mission.

(Somewhere in the Borderlands, Luke and Serene just snorted and rolled their eyes and didn’t know why.)

“I need a guitar.”

Joe grunted again, hefting himself from his seat. He didn’t say anything else but he lumbered toward the rack of guitars Elliot had been familiar with once upon a time so Elliot was pretty sure he wasn’t going to be thrown out.

He took a quick peek over the desk before following. Joe had been working on a crossword puzzle.

“Acoustic or electric?”

Elliot hurried over, eyes carefully on the wall of guitars and not on Joe. “Acoustic. Definitely.”

“Electric acoustic?”

Elliot shook his head. “Can’t plug it in anywhere where I’m going. Just wood and strings will be excellent.”

Joe gave him a look that he used to give him a lot. A look that said “This kid is a weirdo.” Usually the look was accompanied by a tick of his mouth. An addendum. An “I like this weirdo.”

Today there was no such tick.

The next step in Joe’s usual guitar selling process was to encourage the customer to try a couple, hang around a while. Play some and see how they felt.

For Elliot, Joe turned and picked a guitar off the wall and handed it to him. “£80.”

Elliot just looked at him startled. The marking for the guitar clearly said it was £115. It was one of the nicer guitars, one of mid-range, price wise, but one that had been around long enough for Elliot to recognize it. It was made of cherry with a cedar top, the neck, bridge, and pickguard a light lilac. It was laminate, which Elliot knew would hold up against warping even in the muggiest Borderlands swamp. And it was bright and warm at once, good for finger picking. Elliot’s fingers knew those strings.

Probably Joe had picked a random guitar and given Elliot a lower price so Elliot wouldn’t try and haggle. He wanted Elliot to go away quicker. No way would he know or remember that once upon a time that had been Elliot’s favorite guitar.

If he thought Elliot wouldn’t haggle, though, he was mistaken.

“If I pay £90, will you include replacement strings?”

The strings were clearly £20 but Joe just rolled his eyes. “Sure, kid.”

“And a case?”

“Don’t push it.”

Elliot threw his hands up and didn’t push it.

“A five-letter word for meander is ‘stray,’” Elliot told him, casually.

Joe gave him one of their cheap guitar cases.

 

Elliot wasn’t sure when Luke would stop being amazed at the songs Elliot knew but he hoped the day never came. As soon as Elliot ran out of songs he’d memorized before coming permanently to the Borderlands, he’d have to start writing his own music. And that wasn’t a good scenario for anyone.

As it was, Luke’s eyes were dewy and heart-shaped as he leaned his chin on his hand, listening to Elliot finger-pick the fuck out of _The Pirates of the Caribbean_ theme song. No matter how many times Elliot told him, Luke still seemed to think Elliot wrote these songs. It was maddening if not a little thrilling.

When Elliot finished, Luke grinned, leaning forward to kiss Elliot. Elliot kissed him back before pushing him away. “Keep off, loser, or you’ll get your feathers caught in the frets.”

Luke wrinkled his nose. “I don’t think that’s possible.”

“Yeah, well maybe I just don’t want you breathing on my nice new toy.”

Luke rolled his eyes, a grin still stretching his mouth. “I can’t believe you went across the border to get a present for yourself for _my_ birthday.”

Elliot raised an eyebrow. “Can you really? Can you really not believe it?”

Luke laughed. Elliot leaned forward and kissed him.

Luke pushed him away this time. “I like when you sing, though. You haven’t sung for me.”

Elliot frowned. “Finger-picking is far more fun and interesting for me – the instrumentalist – than any strumming or other vocal-focused song could be.”

“But can’t you finger the guitar and sing?”

Elliot swallowed a laugh. “Finger- _pick_.” Luke blushed. “And most songs with finger-picking and singing are boring to play.”

Luke looked at him through his eyelashes.

Elliot’s expression was pained. “The only songs I can think of are American.”

Luke pouted. “I don’t know or care what that means.”

Elliot pouted back.

Luke poked him in the knee.

“Fine!” Luke grinned. “But I’m going to make this so embarrassing for you, just wait.”

Luke kept grinning folding his legs and resting his head in both hands like a child. So much of Luke was warrior-like and grown-up before his time that to see him so free and excited made Elliot feel very warmly. Which only made the song he was about to play all the more sappy.

It started with two plucked A chords, two plucked G chords, and four plucked D chords, and then Elliot had to come in with some lyrics.

 _“Called him for the first time yesterday_.” Of course Elliot changed the pronouns. If he was doing this, he had to go all the way with it. “ _Finally found the missing part of me_.”

Elliot kept his eyes on the guitar, knowing Luke was smiling softly at him and not able to look at him while he did it.

“ _Felt so close but you were far away._ ” Elliot swallowed. “ _Left me without anything to say._ ”

Luke let out a soft laugh. Elliot shot him a scowl before returning his focus to the chords, which were different now for the chorus.

_“Now I’m speechless. Over the edge I’m just breathless. I never thought that I’d catch this… Lovebug again.”_

Elliot chanced a glance at Luke, only just now realizing the significance of his words.

When Elliot and Luke had first met, Elliot was in love with Serene. Maybe not grown-up love, but it was a love strong enough to make him choose the Borderlands. It was the first thing that made him choose the Borderlands. And then she didn’t choose him back.

So he’d settled for Jase and Myra and Adara and (briefly, regrettably) Dale. Because they were nice(ish) and liked him and Elliot would probably never feel that same love again anyway.

Except then he did. But different. Because Luke chose him back.

“ _Hopeless. Head-over-heels in the moment. I never thought that I’d get hit by this Lovebug again._ ”

Luke was predictably blushing. He wasn’t looking at Elliot, instead watching his own hands as he picked at the down of his left wing. Elliot might have thought he didn’t like it – was too embarrassed – if not for the radiant smile absolutely dominating his face.

Elliot smiled back, humming the instrumental part that was played on the mandolin in the original but Elliot couldn’t replicate with one guitar.

No one has ever said Elliot wasn’t a performer. He stood up (grateful for the guitar strap Joe must have forgotten was in the case he’d given Elliot) and swayed, walking behind Luke to serenade him from behind his wing.

 _“I can’t get your smile out of my mind_.” He leaned around Luke, kissing the edge of Luke’s mouth where the smile was on full display. “ _I think about your eyes all the time_.”

Luke leaned away, laughing and turning toward Elliot. He could watch now that Elliot was being silly instead of sincere.

 _“Beautiful but you don’t even try._ Damn harpy genes.”

Luke laughed, pushing at Elliot, who only had time to stick his tongue out before the next line. “ _Modesty is just so hard to find_.”

He let the note hang, just looking at Luke with one raised eyebrow.

Luke rolled his eyes. Elliot smirked.

 _“Now I’m speechless. Over the edge I’m just breathless. I never thought that I’d catch this,”_ He went into falsetto. _“Lovebug again.”_

He leaned against Luke’s wing which flicked out in irritation. Elliot did a little spin.

“ _Hopeless. Head-over-heels in the moment. I never thought that I’d get hit by this Lovebug again._ ”

This part was a lot of beats and clapping. Which was harder for Elliot while he was trying to play and be cute. He stomped his foot a little, smacking the side of his guitar. He had to apologize in his head for abusing her when they’d only just gone home together.

He was maybe doing too much. But no one who knew him would be at all surprised by that.

He nudged Luke’s legs apart, kneeling between them. He had to hold the guitar at an awkward angle but something about Luke’s face didn’t make him care very much.

 _“Kissed him for the first time yesterday.”_ He tilted his head up and Luke kissed him obligingly. Elliot sang the next part against his lips. “ _Everything I wished that it would be_.”

He sat back on his heels, forced to be earnest now and stare earnestly into his boyfriend’s stupid earnest face.

 _“Suddenly I forgot how to speak._ ” Luke didn’t laugh this time. Elliot guessed he was feeling the earnestness as well. “ _Hopeless breathless baby can’t you see?”_

Elliot rolled to his feet strumming more intensely with the calloused edge of his thumb.

_“Now I’m–”_

Elliot wasn’t sure how he was supposed to manage a guitar solo with an acoustic guitar and no pick but he did his best. By the stars in Luke’s eyes you’d think he was the next Jimi Hendrix.

 _“Now I’m speechless! Over the edge, I’m just breathless! I never thought that I’d catch this Lovebug again!”_ Elliot was singing full-out now, the softness from earlier in the song gone in the wake of this passion. Hey, Elliot thought. That was probably the point. _“Hopeless! Head-over-heels! I never thought that I’d get hit by this Lovebug again! Oh-oh!”_ He brought everything back down, falling on his knees in front of Luke. “ _Lovebug again._ ”

Luke’s eyes were shining as he gently lifted the guitar strap over Elliot’s head, moving the guitar safely to side before launching himself at Elliot.

All the air was punched out of Elliot’s lungs by the force and weight of his boyfriend. Luke’s wings, thankfully, came around them both to cushion their landing.

“What the hell, loser, get off of me!” Elliot protested, doing absolutely nothing to relinquish Luke’s hold on him. “You’re all muscle and wings! You are so heavy and you are _crushing me_!”

Luke pulled back, not enough to remove himself from Elliot but enough that Elliot could see his bright red and beaming face. “How could you call _that_ boring?”

Elliot shrugged. A difficult feat as engulfed as he was in feathers and limbs. “I guess I put a little spin on it.”

Luke buried his smile back in Elliot’s shoulder, laughing and shaking.

Elliot struggled a bit to free his arms but, when he did, brought them up to squeeze tight around Luke’s waist. “So I take it you liked your present?”

Luke laughed again, mumbling into Elliot’s collarbone. “You’re singing to me every birthday I ever have for the rest of my life.”

Elliot rested his cheek on Luke’s hair, happy and proud he’d done something good. “I’d be happy to. Just make sure you have a good 60 or 70 more of those, yeah? No getting dead.”

Luke sighed. “I’ll do my best.”

Elliot hummed, his hands absently stroking at the base of Luke’s wings.

“You know, if you want…” Elliot started, his stroking hand dipping lower. “I did bring something else from over the border you might like.”

Elliot could feet the heat from Luke’s face against his skin. “Elliot…”

“Shhhh…” Elliot rested his hand on Luke’s lower back, just brushing the curve of his butt. “Just wait. And help me untie my shoes. Your knots are too good how am I ever supposed to undo these things?”

**Author's Note:**

> The finger-picking of the _Pirates_ theme is actually really cool and you can listen to it [here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKLZcjWMloU)
> 
> Title and most of act 2 obviously centers around "Lovebug" by The Jonas Brothers which, if you haven't already, you can listen to [here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjVJXuAIMTI)  
> I also reccommend you watch the [2008 VMA Live performance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8tp6iQI7JA) to get the full experience. As an authority on the Jonas Brothers live performances (I've seen them in concert seven times) I can verify that, yes, Joe really does that.  
> Imagine Elliot, small tiny beyond-extra Elliot, seeing Joseph doing The Most and thinking "Oh yes. This I understand."  
> Thank you.


End file.
